Venezuela political prisoners 'revolt' at Caracas jail

Such prisoners, who have access to smartphones, internet and social media, allegedly took over the leadership of the operation after the first wave of violence in order to give it media visibility.

In two 20-second videos filmed on a mobile phone and posted on his Facebook page today, a visibly distraught Joshua Holt suggested his patience was running out with the US Government, which has made his release a top priority in its dealings with Venezuela's socialist Government.

Holt was arrested after traveling to Venezuela in the summer of 2016 to marry a woman, a Venezuelan native, who he had met on a dating website.

Authorities of Venezuela claim that Holt was working with the USA government to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro, a plan they say involved him and his wife stockpiling weapons. "The only people that are kidnapping me is the government of Venezuela". I am a political prisoner and they won't let me free.

Venezuelan news media reported that political prisoners there are demanding an end to what they called torture and mistreatment of detainees, saying some inmates are minors and others are being held even though they have not been prosecuted. They are saying that they want to kill me.

Rights groups and Maduro's opponents have said several hundred political prisoners have been unfairly jailed.

While he did not provide details about the disturbance, or what sparked it, he said the delegates offered to coordinate with prison and judicial authorities to address the inmates' demands.

However, confusingly, in a video seen on Twitter late on Wednesday, the former missionary said: 'I'm here to show you that I am not being kidnapped.

The US embassy in Caracas tweeted that it was "very anxious about the rebellion".

Holt's trial on weapons charges had been scheduled to start Tuesday but Holt and his wife, Thamara Caleno, were never taken to the courthouse by their jailers.

Amid statements of concern by Utah's congressional delegation, Todd Robinson, the top American diplomat in Venezuela, went to the foreign ministry to seek information about Holt.

"Joshua Holt and other United States citizens are in danger", it said in a tweet in Spanish.

Todd Robinson, the chargé d'affaires at the U.S. embassy, went to the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry for information, the embassy added but there was, 'no response from the government'. "The Venezuelan government is directly responsible for the security, and we will make it responsible if something happens to them".

"He remains focused on Josh's safety as we work to bring him home on humanitarian grounds", the office of the Utah Republican said.

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